Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu today directed the municipalities to go “all out” to ensure that cable network operators were prevented from misusing municipal property at the earliest. In a statement here, the local government minister said directions were issued to the commissioners of all municipal corporations, executive officers of municipal councils or nagar panchayats and regional deputy directors of urban local bodies to ensure that the rule of law was followed by those intending to make use of municipal property. Sidhu said it was brought to his notice yesterday in the Assembly that cable network operators were causing damage to the municipal infrastructure, including the roads, water supply and sewerage networks, while laying underground cables.

He made it clear that anyone intending to use municipal property was required to take permission from the municipal corporation or council or nagar panchayat and the urban local body concerned was entitled to charge a fee for the same. The Congress leader said he had instructed the municipal authorities to verify if the cable network operators within their respective jurisdiction had obtained the required permissions and send the copies of the application and permission granted, along with proof of the charges paid, to the local government ministry by June 27.

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He added that if the permissions were not obtained and the money was not deposited, then action must be taken by the local bodies and a report to that effect must be sent to the ministry by June 27. Sidhu said he had also written to the power, irrigation, information and public relations and excise and taxation departments for necessary action in this regard.